


First Day Back

by whythefujamievenonthis



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 18:58:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14361615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whythefujamievenonthis/pseuds/whythefujamievenonthis
Summary: Full credit for the prompt goes to @bell88x8y  at Tumblr! Thanks so much for the prompt loveyl! xx i loved writing it, i hope you like it too!





	First Day Back

**Author's Note:**

> Full credit for the prompt goes to @bell88x8y at Tumblr! Thanks so much for the prompt loveyl! xx i loved writing it, i hope you like it too!

Jac Naylor was relieved, to say the least, when her mandatory leave was over and she was permitted to return to work; she had to admit spending those extra hours with Emma had been brilliant but there was no denying the fact that the boredom of doing nothing all day for four weeks had settled into her bones – she was happy to shake it out of her system as she got up and ready for work (as well as to get Emma ready for school): shower, makeup, breakfast, and out the door to drive her daughter to school and herself to work afterwards. When she pulled up outside the main entrance she saw Fletch arriving; suit smart, hair slightly over gelled, his tie was practically tucked away already, a flood of memories washed back to her mind as he grabbed her bag and watched Fletch disappear into the building – he didn’t know she was back yet. She pulled down her visor and looked into the mirror, she looked well rested, yet her eyes were as tired as the day she’d left… She let out a sigh before forcing herself out of her car seat and out onto the car park pavement. Jac began walking towards the hospital after straightening out her clothes, and when she arrived the faint and unforgettable smell of coffee that drifted over from Pulses wafted over to her immediately, the smell alone made her fell more awake, and she promptly entered the elevator to get to Darwin. She pressed the button and soon enough the metal doors opened up for her to climb aboard, she was alone in the elevator and when she turned around to look out onto the entrance again she saw Registrar Dominic Copeland entering the building hand in hand with a man with wildly curly hair, she recalled him from a distant conversation and memory, and managed to recall his name being Lofty before the elevator doors shut and her journey up to Darwin began.  
  
  
Jac couldn’t help but feel happy, despite her exterior being one of (as many others had called it) “Resting Bitch Face”, she felt relaxed, at home even: she didn’t mind dealing with Petrenko and loud drunk patients and boring cabbage surgeries, she didn’t even mind having to deal with Fletch… She didn’t mind him at all, actually. When the elevator doors opened onto the ward she stepped out and took a deep lungful of Darwin air, if home was where the heart was then she certainly felt in place on her cardio-thoracic ward. She continued walking down the ward and eventually entered the staff changing room to get dressed for her shift, she saw Freida already there having just finished getting dressed into her scrubs.  
  
  
“Petrenko.” She greeted with a nod of her head before making her way over to her locker.  
  
  
“Ms Naylor.” Replied Freida, who couldn’t help but smile, “I see you’re back.”  
  
  
“I can see you’re pointing out the obvious.”  
  
  
“Does Fletch know you are back?”  
  
  
“No, in fact, he doesn’t. Does he need to know?” asked Jac as she began getting her scrubs out to get changed for work.  
  
  
“Well it’d be nice if you had.”  
  
  
“Well I’m not a nice person, I thought you knew that Petrenko.”  
  
  
“Just because that’s what _you_ say doesn’t mean I’m going to agree one hundred percent of the time.”  
  
  
“Then what are you going to do?”  
  
  
“Push your buttons till you see my side of the story.” Replied Freida with a smirk before leaving Jac alone in the changing room.  
  
  
Once Petrenko left, Jac felt comfortable enough to take her shirt off to put on her scrub top, lifting the material over her head she felt a low throbbing pain in her side from stretching to do so, she knew exactly why the pain was there. Strong pain killers can only do so much once they wear off and you can’t get any more of them. After her shirt had come off she went over to the full length mirror that stood beside her locker, and she looked at the scaring that had formed and developed since that day at the stairwell… the wound itself had healed nicely but the scar was ugly: covered in lumps of scar tissue and uneven skin, it looked like small mountains were growing by her ribcage; she traced her fingers over it and felt its uneven texture against the tips of her fingers, she breathed in and felt the scar move with her, she breathed out and the scar grew smaller – she couldn’t quite tell if she was looking at it in hatred or admiration.  
  
  
As she stood enraptured by her scar she heard the sound of the changing room door open, only the voice she heard of the person who’d opened it, was not who she’d expected:  
  
  
“Jac?”  
  
  
It was Fletch.  
  
  
Jac spun round, having still not put her scrub shirt on and promptly spun back round so her back was facing Fletch.  
  
  
“You’re back?” he asked, another question, seemingly he was spell bound by her return.  
  
  
“And half naked so if you would let me dress that would be great.”  
  
  
It was at these words that Fletch noticed Jac hadn’t finished getting dressed, and he was fast to splutter out an apology and explanation, “Shit!” she exclaimed as he turned to face away from her, “Jac I am _so_ sorry, I didn’t know, and I was surprised you’re back and I wasn’t thinking – I promise I wasn’t looking at anything I was-“  
  
  
“Alright Fletch!” Jac exclaimed, her back still facing him, “Just let me get dressed and I’ll see you on ward.”  
  
  
“Right, right, yeah, of course, sorry, I’ll go now.” He agreed as he made his way out of the changing room, he let out one final apology before shutting the door behind him and rushing off, Jac couldn’t help but chuckle at the less than conventional and expected greeting she’d just received from Fletch. Once her laughter stopped she set about getting dressed for work, and upon doing so finally felt like she was where she should be. After tying her hair back into a pony tail, she gave herself a triumphant smile before walking out onto the ward and making her way over to the Nurses’ station where Freida was quick to hand her a patient file.  
  
  
“No rest for the wicked.” Jac said passively as she took the file from Freida’s hand.  
  
  
“You’re on cabbages and simple procedures.” Said Freida as Jac then walked over to her board of elective patients.  
  
  
“Why?”  
  
  
“Boss’ orders.” Replied Freida as she sat herself down at a computer and began researching information for her patient.  
  
  
“And why would he do that?” Jac asked, making her way back to the Nurses’ station as she did so.  
  
  
“No he, _she.”_ Replied Freida, not looking up form the computer as she said so, “New CEO, the Hanssen replacement, she said she didn’t want you over doing yourself so soon.”  
  
  
“More like she doesn’t want to get herself in trouble so soon…” commented Jac, “So where’s Hanssen?”  
  
  
“Works on Keller now, I think.” Responded the Ukrainian Doctor, “Probably to go right where his son went wrong down there.”  
  
  
“Or add fuel to his own fire.” Jac commented.  
  
  
“Fuel to whose fire?” said Fletch, suddenly making his way over and joining in on their conversation, having came up from behind Jac she jumped a little, but she kept her composure as best as she could.  
  
  
“None of your business.” she replied as she looked Fletch up and down, “And that shirt doesn’t go with that tie.”  
  
  
“Good to have you back Jac.” Responded Fletch with a smile before wandering off to his patients.  
  
  
“Well well well…” muttered Freida under her breath as she got up from the computer, “Ms Naylor has a heart after all.”  
  
  
“Hardly, Petrenko.” argued Jac, arms folded.  
  
  
“Okay, what ever you say, just remember I’m a size 10 in bridesmaid dresses, and it’ll have to be black.”

“Very funny… Just go do your job.”  
  
  
For the few couple of hours thing went smoothly, Jac got through patients and even managed to get to cabbage surgeries done (although she’d hoped for work less menial on her first day back). As the day progressed other members of staff couldn’t help but notice Jac’s demeanour had improved since she’d gone away; she seemed more at ease, less on edge, a hell of a lot less like she was prepared to rip someone’s head off at any moment at least. Freida was predominantly working by herself that day, but in the few moments where she was with Jac and Fletch at the nurse’s station she could see sparks fly between the two of them like fireworks, even if Jac could, Freida couldn’t deny the chemistry her two bosses had. Not long into the afternoon Jac was walking through Darwin, heart scans and medical files in hand, she read and analysed them as he walked along the hallway; she didn’t notice the trolley heading straight towards her and neither did Jason (the trolley’s driver). Luckily for the pair of them Fletch was stood near by and soon noticed the imminent accident due to take place, he was quick to rush over and pulled Jac out of the direction of the oncoming trolley; making her drop all her folders in the process, he instinctively brought Jac as close to him as possible: their eyes locked in contact, each of their abilities to breathe faltering, neither of them noticed other members of staff staring at the two of them for a while – all they saw was each other.  
  
  
“Are you alright?” asked Fletch, quietly, his arm still wrapped tightly round Jac’s waist.  
  
  
“Yeah…” replied Jac, just as quiet as Fletch, slightly stunned  by what had happened.  
  
  
“I’m really very sorry Ms Naylor, I didn’t mean to do it.” Apologised Jason, cutting through the moment like a knife, bringing both Fletch and Jac back down to earth in milliseconds.  
  
  
“Hm? Oh, honestly, Jason it’s alright, it was an accident.” said Jac as she broke from Fletch’s hold and began picking up her dropped folders from the floor.  
  
  
“Here,” began Fletch as he went down to the floor to help Jac, “Let me give you a hand with that.”  
  
  
“It’s fine.”  
  
  
“No honestly it’ll only take a-“  
  
  
“Just leave it, Fletch!”  
  
  
For a couple of seconds Fletch looked up at Jac from trying to help grab her files, guilt and regret washed over Jac like heavy flood waters as Fletch’s eyes flashed with hurt. Before the red headed Doctor could think to apologise, Fletch had picked himself up off the floor and walked away to go back to his patients, not saying another word to Jac in the process. Jac silently grabbed her folders from the laminate floor and stood back up, any pain from the scar was well and truly gone by this point, as she stood up and began walking back to the nurse’s station Freida (having heard Fletch and Jac’s confrontation from a nearby room), spoke:  
  
  
“I can’t tell if you’re getting married or divorced, either way I’ll wear black to the event.”  
  
  
“Don’t try me Petrenko, just go do your job.”  
  
  
“I would if it weren’t for the fact your workplace romance with Fletcher was being taken notice by the whole ward and its patients.”  
  
  
“You know what Petrenko, you’re walking on a very, _very_ thin line. Don’t push me.”  
  
  
For the rest of the shift Jac seemed to have returned to her previous self: cold and miserable with a touch of cutting edge sass, everyone working on ward had soon grown accustomed at avoiding her at all costs. At every opportunity, Freida assumed to prove her own point, she attempted to cut in Fletch using her sharp and sarcastic tone and words; Fletch, happy to see her back regardless, tried not to let them hurt him too much, but there was no stopping the brutality of Jac Naylor – when she cut she cut deep and with precision. During one such moment, even Jac was quick to realised she’d cut too deep, something she didn’t admit to herself often, she and Fletch were at the nurse’s station when it happened:  
  
  
“Jac can you give me a hand with-”  
  
  
“No.”  
  
  
“I haven’t even asked my question.” Argued Fletch, hands on hips.  
  
  
“I don’t care, I have my own work to catch up on, and go fix your tie – you look ridiculous, no wonder people struggle to take you seriously, walking round the ward like that.”  
  
  
Fletch froze on the spot, surprised by Jac’s cold words, this time she’d taken it a step too far; or rather, Fletch had finally had enough, “Nice one Jac, glad to have you back.” Fletch said with a tone of serious and unwavering sarcasm before walking away to go check up on his other staff members, walking away before Jac could form a sentence of apology in the process.  
  
  
“Fletch I’m sorry I-” she began, but her words faded away and she left her sentence unfinished as she saw he’d already walked away and out of ear shot.  
  
  
Freida had watched the whole thing, she’d been stood near the nurse’s station when it all happened, and despite her usual uncaring nature when it came to work place squabbles she’d soon had enough of Jac’s calloused behaviour, and decided to take action into her own hands. She took out her phone and gave Fletch a text, telling him he should confront Jac about her behaviour, and lied about her being in her office before promptly putting her phone back into her scrub pocket, then she spoke to Jac.  
  
  
“Naylor you’re coming with me.”  
  
  
“No, I’m really not.”  
  
  
“Yes you are. Right now.”     
  
  
Too fed up to argue with her Ukrainian co-worker Jac eventually removed herself from the nurses station and followed Frieda into her office, once Jac was inside Frieda shut the door (although not completely), and indicated for the fiery red headed doctor to sit herself down on the couch, Jac did so and soon enough Frieda began her lecture.  
  
  
“What do you think you’re doing?”  
  
  
“Doing my job.”  
  
  
“And hurting Fletchers feelings in the process? Your job is to fix hearts not break them.”  
  
  
“Well I doubt he has a broken heart.”  
  
  
“You didn’t see him moping around the ward after you’d left.”  
  
  
After Frieda said this there was dead silence, Jac couldn’t argue against that – she had no evidence to do so, all she could do is just sit there on the couch in her office and stare at the floor looking for some kind of argument to retaliate, but alas she had nothing. As Jac sat there Frieda read her, and for the first time ever she felt she could read Naylor word for word – an open book with an angry looking front cover. Slowly, she made her way over from the slightly ajar door and squatted down just in front of where Jac was sat on the couch, and eventually she spoke, softly:  
  
  
“What are you terrified of?”  
  
  
It took a while for Jac to respond, but when she did, it was an answer Frieda had not been expecting - but Jac knew there was no point hiding it anymore, “Loosing him.”  
  
  
“Looks like that’s what you’re trying to do now.”  
  
  
“I know he’ll stick around if I keep acting like this, he thinks there’s something redeemable about me.”  
  
  
“Where’s the fear coming from? What is it?”  
  
  
At this Jac looked up from the floor, her eyes full of embarrassment and almost guilt, “That I’ll show who I really am, and I won’t be good enough.”  
  
  
As the two of them talked about all this Fletch arrived at the door, neither Jac or Frieda knew he’d arrived, he’d only just heard the end of Jac’s last sentence, and was about to barge in all guns blazing about why she shouldn’t doubt herself like that; but his feet suddenly stuck to the floor as he heard Frieda speak again.  
  
  
“You are in love with him, no? Fletcher?”  
  
  
Jac look Frieda straight in the eye, almost unsure of what to say, but as quickly as her open words had arrived her normal and defensive ones returned just as fast, “So what? So what if I am? So what if I look at him and wish dates weren’t just play dates for Theo and Emma? So what if I’m so in love with him I’ve grown tired of being lonely? How is any of that going to change the fact that he does not love me, Frieda, it won’t.”  
  
  
“You’re allowed to be happy.” Replied Frieda, calm and collected as she stood up from where she’d been squatting, “Not often, but the universe has a habit of working in people’s favours from time to time, maybe now’s your lucky break?”  
  
  
These words seemed to resonate with Jac, she didn’t watch Frieda leave the room, instead she reverted back to staring at the floor and began to think, eventually loosing herself to her own train of thought. As Frieda left she saw Fletch stood outside the office, clearly struck dumb, she tapped her nose at him before walking away, a grin plastered on her face – she knew what she’d done, and she was proud her last minute plan had gone off so seamlessly. Fletch decided not to talk to Jac, not right after she’d spoken to Frieda, he needed time too; to think of the right words to say to her. For the rest of the shift there was a silence between the two of them: no gifting, no squabbles, no snarky comments, no nothing – just work and the quiet air Darwin usually had as the day shifted into the night time. Jac’s shift had started at ten in the morning, and was due to leave at eight at night, not that she minded, if she was going to go back to work she wanted a normal shift like everyone else. After doing one last round of checking up on her patients from the day she made her way over to the changing room to get dressed for going home; Emma’s bedtime was 7:30pm but Jac knew without a doubt the sitter would have let her stay up – still, it meant Jac could tuck her daughter into bed for once. After getting changed she said her standard and routine goodnights to everyone at the nurse’s station, Fletch and Frieda happened to be there as she did so, both responding to her words before looking at each other. Once she was out of sight and ear shot Frieda spoke, her words of wisdom having not had their full effect quite yet:  
  
  
“What do you think you are doing?” she asked as she saw Fletch pouring over work.  
  
  
“Finishing this up and then getting a cab home?”  
  
  
“About Jac.”  
  
  
“We don’t need to talk about this-“  
  
  
“Yes we do. You two are stuck in a rut of high school romance, if I see any more flirting that leads to nothing than I already have I will be physically sick. You both need to sort this out and soon, for my sake if not for your own.”  
  
  
“It’s not that easy.”  
  
  
“Yes, it is, rush down, tell her you love her, kiss, date, get married, let me wear black dress.”  
  
  
“What?” asked Fletch, utterly confused.  
  
  
“Nothing… Still, the whole rushing down and professing your love thing sounds good.”  
  
  
“Jac would slap me if I did that.”  
  
  
“Or reciprocate the feeling.” Replied Frieda, “Food for thought Mr Fletcher, just remember she may fall in love with someone else one day, and I don’t think you’ll like that.”  
  
  
For a while Fletch thought about Frieda’s words, and it wasn’t long before he realised she was completely right, without another word he got out of his chair and made his way out of Darwin ward; Jac had only just left so would probably be somewhere nearby the entrance, maybe waiting for a cab. As he hopped in the elevator that would take him to the ground floor exit just by the hospital’s main entrance he thought about what he would say – what could he say? He had no idea, but as the metal doors eventually opened just in front of Pulses he realised there was no more time for thinking as he saw Jac stood by the sliding doors, just in front of the ambulance drop off point. He rushed over from the elevator and made his way beside her, his heart pounding like a drum as he did so.  
  
  
“What are you doing here Fletch?” asked Jac, “Look if it’s about today, I’m really sorry about what I said to you before, it was out of line and I shouldn’t have-“  
  
  
“I think I love you.”  
  
  
Dead silence.  
  
  
“I should probably say more than that…” Fletch thought aloud before speaking again, “The thing is, for a while, I’ve really respected you, and even thought you’ve had moments where I could gladly throttle you, I’ve never been able to stop myself from worrying about you and thinking about you – caring about you, Jac.”  
  
  
No response.  
  
  
“I, um, heard what you and Frieda were talking about in your office today” he added.  
  
  
“Did you now?” asked Jac, turning herself around to properly face Fletch, displeased that he’d heard the conversation, but she hadn’t walked away in denial - that had to be a good thing.  
  
  
“Yeah, which is why I’m actually telling you all this, since I might have a chance and all.” Replied Fletch, a brief smile flashing across his face. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of Jac’s eyes: unwavering, pupils diluted, shiny looking. When he looked into them he suddenly found the words he’d needed all along; “I can’t let you go, not again.”  
  
  
He half expected to watch Jac walk away form him and never talk to him again, perhaps threaten to move hospitals; he was thoroughly surprised when he felt Jac’s hand interlock with his own, feeling her squeeze it a little as she looked directly at him, her eyes even glossier from before. The pair of them felt their heads go closer together, their lips early meeting, just before the inevitable happened Jac spoke in response to his confession:  
  
  
 “Then hold on tighter this time.”  
  
  
With those words they kissed, a simple kiss, the type of kiss two teenagers might share on their first date; the one that’s hesitant due to nerves but full of want – the type of kiss that lingers on your lips like tingles of electricity. They allowed the world to collapse around them, Fletch felt himself place the hand that wasn’t intertwined with Jac’s against her waist, and Jac could feel herself using her other free hand to gently clasp onto the cuff of Fletch’s sleeve. When they pulled apart from each other they were each flushed with faint tinges of pink in their cheeks, one of Jac’s rare smiles had formed across her face and Fletch grinned his boyish grin that everyone knew so well. The pair of them stood there looking intently at each other, they would’ve gladly stayed there if it weren’t for their responsibilities as adults.  
  
  
“I should probably get back to work, I think.” Said Fletch quietly, still looking at Jac.  
  
  
“Me too, I need to get home to put Emma to bed.” Replied Jac, smirking as she realised neither of them had moved away quite yet.  
  
  
Eventually, however, they did part from one another; Jac having had to promise Fletch that she’d definitely be at work the next day beforehand, Jac walked away form the hospital with the biggest smile on her face she’d had in years – if old colleagues could have seen her in that moment they would have thought she’d finally lost it! That night Jac got home and promptly paid the sitter before putting Emma to bed, giving her a kiss on the forehead before retiring to her own bedroom; she got changed into her pyjamas and slid herself underneath the cool silk sheets of her large bed, as she rested her head on a pillow her phone received a notification – she was happy to see it was from Fletch:  
  
  
_Hope I didn’t ruin your night  
Goodnight Jac (xx?)  
  
  
_ She smiled to herself as she texted in reply:  
  
  
_You didn’t.  
Goodnight to you too Fletch xx_


End file.
